Quality Inspection
Part of Managing repeat supplier orders
Reviewing supplier performance after each delivery
Review a supplier delivery against agreed goods, dates, quality and cost, then record the action needed before reordering.
Review a delivery against what the supplier agreed to provide. Record the observed result, its effect and the action needed before the next order.
Gather the delivery record
Gather the accepted order and changes, agreed dates and delivery point, dispatch documents, receiving count, inspection findings, invoices and correction or replacement records. Keep the original commitment separate from a later forecast. Record any buyer change or delayed approval that affected the order.
Review by variant or shipment if one combined result would hide a short delivery. If a split was agreed, note which stock was needed first and when it became usable.
Check the agreed outcomes
| Question | Useful evidence |
|---|---|
| Did the right goods arrive? | Approved version, received variants and accepted quantities |
| Were agreed dates met? | Original goods-ready and delivery commitments, authorised revisions and actual dates at the same points |
| What quality issues remain? | Findings, affected stock, correction and recheck |
| What did the delivery cost? | Agreed charges, actual invoice and documented extras |
| How was an issue handled? | Responses, agreed remedy and evidence of closure |
These are review prompts, not a universal scorecard. A routine order may need a brief note; a critical product or unresolved defect may need a formal discussion.
Key performance indicators for supplier delivery review
- On-time delivery rate
- Based on original goods-ready and delivery commitments vs actual dates
- Quality issue resolution rate
- Percentage of defects corrected and rechecked
- Cost variance
- Agreed charges vs actual invoice including documented extras
Separate observation from explanation
“Received three days after the agreed date” is an observation if both dates refer to the same delivery point. “A carrier delay caused it” needs supporting detail. A late factory completion, delayed buyer approval and late local delivery suggest different responses.
For failed goods, identify the requirement, affected quantity and agreed remedy. Keep open, corrected and rechecked, and accepted exception as separate states. A promised credit or replacement does not establish that usable stock is in hand.
Observation vs Explanation in supplier delivery reviews
- ObservationReceived three days after the agreed date (both dates refer to same delivery point)
- ExplanationA carrier delay caused it (requires supporting detail such as tracking logs or carrier notification)
Decide what happens next
Share the concise review with the supplier and invite corrections to disputed facts. Assign an owner and due date to open actions. Decide whether the next order can use the same terms, needs a changed check or delivery plan, should wait for corrective evidence, or should be considered alongside another source.
Keep the decision with the delivery record. Successive reviews can later support a trend, but first close the facts and actions for this delivery.
